Nicole Desanti gets stuff done. She sees an opportunity and takes it.

That’s how the painter and her business partner, artist Ken Massion, opened The New Hartford Artisans Guild: They learned the space was available, scraped together rent, and opened shop.

The Guild now has 108 members, has expanded into a second space, and regularly makes sales. I repeat: Nicole Desanti gets stuff done.

Here, via our editor, Desanti shares advice and insights for artists and audiences on how to sell art, and how to buy it.

“Will It Sell?”

Many artists don’t want to ask that question but Desanti thinks you should. If you want to make money, that is. “Creating is emotional, I understand, but you have to be a businessperson. This is controversial, but maybe it’s retraining an artist to maybe make 50% of their art palatable to purchase and the other for themselves.”

Doing > Dough:

“I paint for my audience; I paint for my buyer,” said Desanti. “I love painting, so I get a benefit, but I do it for others. It’s like an act of love or an act of service. “As an artist, I would rather lower my price because it means something to you.”

Have Art, Will Travel:

Artists need to go the extra mile to show as far outside their own towns, and Desanti included herself in that: “I don’t want to drive more than an hour to drop off my work,” but she does because otherwise the market becomes oversaturated, viewers get bored, and people stop going to shows. Audiences too need to make a practice of leaving their towns to cultivate an art scene that spans the entire state, not just small, siloed pockets.

Negotiate:

To anyone who wants to buy art but doesn’t have a lot of money, Desanti suggests haggling. “The listed price is a talking point. I tell gallery visitors, ‘I’m comfortable having that conversation if you are.” But Desanti also urges realism. “Remember: It’s not a flea market!”

In other words, remember that your purchase goes toward people’s rent, supplies, and food – we don’t want any starving artists, okay?